Radio Script #751

Little Talks on Common Things

January 14, 1968

Raymond Manson, who has contributed many items to this program in recent years, has brought to my attention another, which refers to the block at the northwest corner of Temple and Main Streets, that I mentioned on a recent broadcast.

Mr. Manson points to a story in the Waterville Mail of August 18, 1896, where construction was just starting on that building at the corner of Temple and Main known as the Burleigh Block. The story is especially interesting in its account of the grade of Main Street at an earlier time. Here is what that 1896 story said: “It is interesting to watch the digging for the foundations for the new Burleigh Block and see the great change which has been made in grade of Main Street at its junction with Temple. Far below the present surface are the remains of an old brick sidewalk, while still farther down are the bricks of an old chimney. Some twelve feet below the surface the workmen came upon an old log and plank drain, which was probably laid fifty or more years ago. The wood is about as sound as it was the day it was put in, and the cedar logs are causing the workmen a good amount of bother. Mr. Burleigh says the present street is at least fifteen feet above the original level of the land, and he has himself filled in more than ten feet of earth in front of the store.”

What seems hard for us to realize is that, in the middle of the nineteenth century, when one traveled north on Main Street, going toward what is now Post Office Square, when he came to Temple Street he went for a short distance down hill to the lowest level in front of what is now the Woolworth store, then up a grade much steeper than now to the square. The whole distance of Main Street from Silver to Appleton has since been made nearly level.

As I have often pointed out, the area where the Burleigh Block was built was once a part of the old McKechnie-surveyed Lot 105, extending from the river bank to the First Rangeway — the lot that originally was a part of the holdings of the Plymouth Company proprietor James Pitts, and by him sold to Isaac Temple, whose heirs sold what remained of the big lot to Timothy Boutelle. For a long time Boutelle and his heirs held on to much of that lot, especially the portion between Main and Elm Streets. But in 1823 Boutelle had sold the piece on the northwest corner of Temple and Main to James Burleigh. In view of present values of real estate, the price paid by Burleigh in 1823 is worth noting. For what came to be a very valuable lot Burleigh paid Boutelle $60. Several small buildings from time to time stood on that land until, in 1896, they were all torn down and Alfred Burleigh erected the big brick block.

Mr. Manson’s mention of one issue of the Waterville Mail in 1896 leads me to turn again to the big special issue for Christmas of that publication in the same year. First let us see what that issue said about transportation in and out of Waterville. It said: “Waterville was once the head of navigation on the Kennebec. The water was never deep enough to float any but shallow boats, yet a line of low draft steamers once did a fairly good business between Waterville and down-river ports. A few years ago an attempt to have the channel cleared was abandoned, and shipping came almost to a standstill. The lack of navigation was, however, made up by the excellence of railway service. As the junction of two main lines of the Maine Central, Waterville provides transportation to its citizens at almost any hour of the day.

“A year and a half ago there was a sharp agitation of the project of having the line of the Quebec & Wiscasset railway extended into this city from Weeks Mills, but the proposition that the city should issue its bonds to secure funds to aid the enterprise was voted down after a lively discussion. It is not at all improbable that the management of the Quebec & Wiscasset may sooner or later find it to their advantage to extend their line here, regardless of any financial aid to be received from this quarter. Another projected line is an electric railway between Waterville and North Vassalboro, to facilitate the shipping of freight to the Vassalboro woolen mills.”

The Mail pointed to the rapid development of Waterville during the two decades preceding 1896. It said: “The first of the two big mills of the Lockwood Company began operation in 1876, and in 1882 the second mill gave fresh impetus to industrial and business life. Then in 1890 the Hollingsworth and Whitney paper mill was built in Winslow, with many of its workers living in Waterville. The partial immunity that Waterville has enjoyed from the crippling effects elsewhere of the Panic of 1893 has been due largely to the Hollingsworth mill.”

Pointing to a growth in population from 4,800 in 1870 to 7,000 in 1890, the Mail almost hit the nail on the head by predicting in 1896 that the 1900 census would show 9,500 people in Waterville. When, four years later, that census was taken, the count was 9,477. The Mail said: “Our growth in population has been accompanied by an extension of borders. An electric car line to Fairfield has set the tide of building strongly toward the north end of the city. A stranger riding on the electric car might easily believe he was in one town on the whole ride. Possibly the two towns may eventually become one, after they shall have both become part of a new county to consist of the northern part of Kennebec and the southern part of Somerset. Public improvements have followed building development. A system of water works came in 1887, and a sewer system was begun in 1888. A portion of Main and Silver Streets has been paved, and no other Maine city has better sidewalks.”

The reference to the new county is on a subject I have mentioned several times on this program. Political opposition was too strong, as was also the jealousy between certain towns, and to this day the two communities of Waterville and Fairfield, that have so much in common, and enjoy so much genuine cooperation, are in two different counties.

About itself the Mail had this to say in 1896: “The Evening Mail, Waterville’s new daily, has the news both local and foreign, with correspondents in all surrounding towns. A full account of legal proceedings in Augusta is assured our readers. To introduce it to new subscribers, we offer it for one dollar from now (December 16) until the legislature adjourns. Our readers know we are thus taking a chance, for the legislature may not adjourn until May. We still publish the Weekly Mail at only one dollar a year. All the news in eight pages. Try it for three months at 25 cents.”

Concerning this particular number, the Christmas issue of 1896, the Mail said: “The current issue is the best the Mail has ever published. We have printed 5,000 copies to be distributed in Waterville and neighboring towns. To seek partial reimbursement for the large expense, we have secured special advertising, thus necessitating the extra pages that make this the largest issue in our history.

A special feature is the wealth of illustrations. There are two views of the city taken by Simon Wing from the Winslow side of the river in 1856. For the view of the old fire engine, ‘Waterville 3’, and her crew, and for that on Main Street in 1896, we are indebted to Sam Burleigh of the Waterville Sentinel.”

Here is the Mail’s account of the fire engine: “Waterville 3 was a hand fire engine that became famous for its victories at musters. In 1853 Waterville had two fire companies, one made up of younger, the other of older men. Neither had a really good engine. Several young men, determined to secure a better machine, organized a third company with 35 members, among whom were Josiah Drummond, Edward Meader and George Esty. In later years the company included such famous names as William Heath, J.H. Plaisted, Everett Drummond, Henry Percival, E.F. Webb and W.M. Dunn. The engine was built to order by Button of Boston, and arrived in Waterville in March, 1854. The company was called out on its first alarm on Sunday, August 15. The men hauled the tub down Silver Street to the Universalist Church, where they learned that the fire was located so far out of town that they returned the engine to the firehouse. Its first real service came on September 4, when fire broke out in the rear of Appleton Hall on Main Street. The company was praised for saving property valued at $100,000. One of the largest fires that old Engine 3 helped to subdue was at the old cotton mills that preceded the Lockwood in 1859. Though nothing could save the mills, Company 3 did keep the flames away from Ticonic toll bridge. Company 3 has always been a prize winner. Her first prize, a silver trumpet, came in 1857, when she played 142 feet, 3 inches to win against all competition at a muster in Bangor.

One sketch in that special issue of the Mail concerned the father of a man who was later to be the city’s mayor and one of its most prominent citizens, Herbert Libby. The father was Isaac Libby, and this is what the Mail said about him: “Isaac C. Libby was born in Exeter, Maine in 1837. He lived there until 1845, when his parents moved to Troy. When he was twelve years old he learned the cooper’s trade. For a time he drove a four-horse team from Troy to Bangor to carry freight. He taught school in Unity and Detroit, fitted for college at Hampden Academy, but instead of going to college, he entered business. For over 25 years he was one of the best known cattle buyers in the state, and was called ‘Cattle King of Maine’. He bought and sold in the Brighton Market more cattle than any other dealer in New England. In 1892 Mr. Libby came to Waterville. He has served as President of the Waterville Trust and Safe Deposit Co. and of the Waterville and Fairfield Street Railway. In company with A.F. Gerald he has built and now operates several electric roads in different parts of the state. He has recently purchased a large tract of land in the north part of the city, where he has built a fine residence and opened a new street for housing. He has also developed a deer park. Besides being a banker and broker, Mr. Libby is treasurer of several corporations, and in his many business transactions he writes checks aggregating more than a million dollars every year. He persists in keeping his hand in farming operations, and near his home he maintains a large cattle barn where he fattens stock for the market.”

A Waterville firm that has been with us for many years and now enjoys a national reputation, is the firm now known as Dunham’s of Maine. Here is what the Waterville Mail said about that firm in 1896: “The clothing firm of Dolloff and Dunham was established in 1887 by George Dolloff and H.R. Dunham. Mr. Dolloff was born in Mount Vernon in 1861. He came to Waterville in 1884 as a clerk for the clothiers Nason and Blaisdell. Mr. Dunham was born in Paris, also in 1861. He came here to attend Coburn in 1879, and received his degree from the college in 1886. For one year after his graduation he was principal of Paris Academy. Then he entered partnership with Mr. Dolloff. Both married Waterville girls.”

Year: 1968